My Sweetheart
by snapecharmer12
Summary: Missing moment from HBP, slightly AU. Ginny shares a bit of interesting information with Harry during a late night chat over Christmas holiday. Implied H/G.


**My Sweetheart  
**Missing moment from HBP, slightly AU

Author's note: When reading HBP for the first time, I imagined Ginny was well aware of Harry's attachment, even as early as Christmas break, and would take pleasure in making him sweat. I hope you enjoy this bit of H/G drabble.

Slowly making his way down the rickety stairs, Harry noticed light seeping through the cracks around the kitchen door and had to fight the urge to walk the other way, not in the mood to talk to anyone at this late hour. However, as if being pulled by an invisible magnetic force, his feet kept moving forward and he found himself opening the swinging door to reveal the dimly lit kitchen of the Burrow and a lone figure standing at the far end.

It only took a split second to recognize it was her. He swiftly averted his gaze to the table between them. Was it too late to turn back?

He was a bloody coward, he reasoned sourly.

"Oh…hi, Harry. I thought I heard someone on the stairs." Ginny said pleasantly as he entered.

Though the room was only lit by the fire burning to his left, the light assaulted his night trained eyes and he sat down grumpily in the closest chair. Squinting, eyes downcast, he began picking at the shabby wooden table busying his restless hands. He was desperately determined not to look at her even though he could hear her move about the kitchen.

Outside the wind howled, rustling the bare tree limbs to scrape noisily against the window closest to him causing his frown to deepen. Now that he was here, now that he had found her alone, he could think of nothing to say. His nightly dreams of her not-so-sisterly behavior replayed in his mind. It took all of his moral resolve to not pin her against the table and let his dreams morph into sweet reality.

Silence stretched between the two teenagers and Ginny continued her endeavors several meters away. Peering at the clock mounted above the roaring fire, he noted with trepidation all the hands of the Weasley family remained pointed at "mortal peril." Merely having the knowledge that only he could alter this pattern of fear and danger weighed heavy on his heart. He longed for the moment he could see Ginny's clock hand move from it's current position to simply "home."

"Marshmallows?" Ginny queried lightly after a few minutes. Harry's head snapped up at the odd question, his eyes coming to a rest on her properly for the first time since entering the kitchen.

Her lean body was propped against the far granite counter fixing what looked like to be tea but his thoughts drifted far from her culinary activities as soon as he took in her whole appearance. Glorious red hair was falling below her elbows covering the top half of a short, silk navy dressing gown. To his absolute delight he could see most of her slim legs, and to complete this vision of perfection, her robe was tied tightly around her tiny waist and hung rather loosely in the front. Harry suddenly found it difficult to breathe.

"Er…" he fought to find the words but staring at her slender but shapely legs did not help matters. He forcibly tore his eyes away and mumbled something he thought could pass for an affirmative and felt the beginnings of a fierce blush creep up his neck.

The next second she passed a steaming mug in his direction from across the table. "It's coco." She stated primly, waving at him nonchalantly to accept his beverage.

Harry took the mug graciously and downed one large gulp before flames licked the inside of his mouth and throat. Choking, he sputtered what was left in his mouth unceremoniously into the still steaming mug. Ginny's giggle brought his eyes up to meet hers for the first time.

"If it's hot, you should blow on it first," she smirked and obeyed her own words by puckering her lips and blowing into her own mug. If his earlier observations had not been enough, this simple but seductive gesture sent him over the edge. Harry had the wild urge to bolt straight into the snow storm raging outside the kitchen window but his current physical state made that almost impossible.

"It _must_ be really hot…your face is turning pink." After taking her first sip, Ginny sat the blue mug on the table and pushed it away, smirking at the young man seated in front of her.

Harry gave a noncommittal shrug fighting to ignore what was happening below the table. Resuming the further mutilation of a burnt hole, he forced decidedly non-Ginny thoughts of Snape in women's clothing to help ease the growing tension.

"So tell me, why are you up so late?" She paused for a second before adding, "Or early, depending on how you look at it. I guess it's technically Boxing Day."

"Dunno. The storm, I guess," he supplied lamely with a tinge of self-disgust. Could he not come up with something more clever and interesting?

Lately, and despite his best interests, Harry avoided one-on-one conversations with the youngest Weasley due largely to the fact those situations always left him feeling dumb, disappointed, and much more frustrated than he could have ever imagined. During the holiday break he had resolved to pluck up the nerve to get Ginny Weasley to notice him as more than a friend, or even worse – a brother. At this point in the game, he was failing miserably in his quest to stealthily win her affections, which triggered the continuous decline of his already dreadful mood.

Summoning his courage he looked up to find Ginny biting her lower lip and studying him with keen eyes. Much to Harry's relief, she did not voice her concern and turned her bright brown eyes to her beverage.

They sat in peaceful silence for a few moments before she surprised him by asking in a falsely sweet voice, "Won-Won keeping you up with _dreams _ofLav-Lav?" Harry found her grin and easily matched it with his own, thankful for the shift in atmosphere. "It's a shame," she continued, "I was hoping to catch a glimpse of his pretty little necklace."

For the second time within minutes, he spat his coco back into his mug this time out of pure shock. "How did you know about that?" gasped Harry. In his mind's eye he could picture the horrid thing and wondered how the hell Ginny had found out. What did this mean for poor Ron? Surely he would never live to see the day where his spectacularly bad gift would not worm it's way into a Weasley family conversation.

"Oh don't look so stunned, Harry," she reprimanded.

But he couldn't help but gape at her with wide eyes. She rolled hers and added, "I'm not going to say anything. 'My Sweetheart' will never leave these lips…not ever again." Emphasizing her words she dramatically swung her hand to her mouth and covered it with an expression of complete innocence.

"But how did you…" Harry began, once again feeling a bit like a dim-witted troll in her presence.

"Easy. Do you honestly think Lavender, or any of those girls for that matter, can keep their traps shut?" she queried as she raised a finely arched eyebrow. At his silence she continued, "It's disgusting the topics she'll broach within my earshot. Like I want to hear what goes on when they're not sucking face in front of the entire school. Bloody hypocrite, that's what he is..."

Tapping his finger against his mug and pushing down the rising tide of jealousy at her last statement, Harry quickly added, "Well, there's no denying they're a bit, er, public with their affections." Bad mood or no, he was never fit to listen to her talk about snogging Dean Thomas.

At his statement, Ginny let out a very musical laugh which caused Harry to sit up a bit straighter. "Affections, huh? I thought it was purely hormones with those two. I doubt they've even had one proper conversation the whole time they've dated. And," dropping her voice to mimic Ron's she supplied, "'So Lavender, where should we snog today?' doesn't count." She laughed again, her big brown eyes twinkling.

To Harry, sharing a laugh with Ginny at 3:20 in the morning felt oddly comfortable but she sobered quickly and looked down into her mug. "It's about time he stop being such a prat and apologize to Herminone already. I regret even bringing her…" After a short pause her eyes fluttered to his, "and you… into this mess. I never said it, but I'm really sorry."

"Look, it wasn't your…" Harry quickly replied but she threw up a hand in exasperation.

"Yes, it was my fault," she interrupted forcefully with a slight edge to her voice. "She told me that in confidence, although half the school knew anyway. How Ron didn't find out before that night, I'll never know." A playful smirk crossed her features. "But everyone knew about you and Cho- she made sure of that."

In a flash his face heated up again thinking that Cho had told others, especially Ginny Weasley, what it was like to kiss him. He knew Cho had kissed other blokes, but did she go around comparing him to them? To Cedric? His stomach bottomed out imagining a scenario where Ginny and Dean, or worse Malfoy, are having a great laugh over his nonexistent snogging skills.

"She—said--something?" he croaked out in a high voice unlike his own. Feeling like he could die from embarrassment under Ginny's penetrating gaze, he continued on in a rush. "What—what'd she say?"

Clearly amused by his discomfort Ginny sat back in her chair and smiled happily. "Are you worried, Harry? Well, don't be. She had nothing but good things to say about you."

After her words he let out a breath he did not realize he had been holding and laughed at himself. "I'm being silly, aren't I?"

"Actually," she stated suddenly with a little force, "you would be surprised at the horrible things girls say about their ex-boyfriends. You're one of the lucky ones."

Appalled Harry sat back, "Remind me not to date again." _Unless it's you_, he amended treacherously in his head.

Reaching for her forgotten mug, Ginny leaned forward and offered quite a fantastic view of her tight white sleeping shirt and ample cleavage. For a young woman of such small stature, Harry guessed she couldn't be more than 5'4", she had all the right curves that drove him, and the rest of the Hogwarts male population, completely mad. Sliding his gaze back to her face he noticed she was wearing a peculiar expression which told him she'd caught him staring. Immediately, the room temperature rose to an uncomfortable level and he peered out into the snow covered garden.

Seemingly letting his blunder slide, Ginny threw in, "Then I doubt you need reminding to steer clear of Romilda Vane. That girl's gone 'round the bend."

Still gazing out the kitchen window, not daring to look into her beautiful face, Harry chortled darkly. "She gave me sweets that I know are tainted with a love potion. Hermione told me."

Before he could stop the words from forming, Harry turned to her and asked, "What did Dean get you for Christmas?" As soon as he said the words he felt like kicking himself for bringing up that prick. But his interest was immediately piqued when Ginny turned red and bit her lip sheepishly.

Pausing as if fighting an internal battle, her hand slowly dipped below the table and she brought it back clutching her fist tightly at her chest. "I guess it was a popular item this Christmas." Then to Harry's amazement she opened her fist to expose the same horrid gold necklace that was currently hidden under Ron's mattress.

Harry threw his head back as waves of laughter rocked his body. After a few moments of uninhibited amusement, his mind caught up to the situation. Unsure of Ginny's reaction to his outburst, he opened his watery eyes to find her head resting on the table atop crossed arms. In an instant his laughter subsided and he stared dreadfully at her still form, terrified that he had upset his secret crush. Suddenly, an unladylike snort of hysterical laughter sounded and he noticed her shoulders bobbing while she shook her head from side to side.

"Isn't it hilarious?!" she asked as she sat up with a big smile on her face, her cheeks stained pink from laughter. She looked simply amazing.

"I was appalled when I heard Lavender gossiping about the damn thing, but to receive it as a gift…it's just too much!"

The pair continued to laugh in earnest until Harry said in mock-seriousness, "Now I'm feeling left out."

At his pout Ginny reached over and grasped his hand and the all too familiar swooping sensation rushed into his stomach. "Maybe if you're really good this year and stay out of trouble, Ron and I will pitch in to get you one for your birthday."

As quickly as it had arrived, her hand was gone in a flash. A deep ache told him he wished for the guts to turn his own hand and intertwine their fingers while he had the chance. How would she react to such a move? They were just having a good laugh at the expense of her current boyfriend, which clearly says their relationship is not that serious. Right?

Before he could ponder more on the subject, his mouth was betraying him once again. "Is it serious? You and Dean? I mean, do you think…er….after Hogwarts…you know?" he stammered on, not entirely sure where he was heading with the line of questioning.

"After Hogwarts?" she frowned, then her eyes lit up in understanding and she immediately frowned anew. "Like get married?"

At her negative response the beast in his chest roared in approval and he tried not to smile. "Yeah, I guess."

Alarmed, she quickly scanned the room as if making sure they were the only two people around and began twisting her mug on it's rim. "Don't take this the wrong way, I mean Dean is a nice enough guy but I would never…" she paused and sighed, "You won't say anything, right?"

Looking straight into her lovely brown eyes Harry shook his head, hoping this was going where he thought it was.

"We're not serious, at least I don't look at it that way. This is kind of awkward, you're his dorm-mate after all. I just don't think he and I are—right. Does that make sense?"

After his nod she became silent and Harry waited patiently for her to continue all the while trying not to let his eyes wander below her neckline. He gave an encouraging smile when she glanced up to him through thick, dark lashes.

"Can you keep a secret?" she asked suddenly.

"Yes," Harry responded automatically, his mind traveling to a place where Ginny's profession of undying attraction and love for him was just about to leave her mouth.

Ginny's serious expression faded into a ghost of a smile and chuckled lightly, "I shouldn't be laughing but lately I—I've been thinking of different ways to break up with him or have him break up with me," she confessed, gauging his reaction with bright eyes.

He grinned brightly at her words and felt like punching the air in excitement. "Like what kind of ways."

She licked her lips as a wolfish grin, much like the ones the twins usually sport, spread across her pretty face and Harry's heartbeat quickened. "Well, some, I must admit, are more on the creative side. But he is a sweet, well-mannered guy so I wouldn't have the heart to make him look too foolish."

Harry noted that she almost looked annoyed when speaking of Dean's pleasant disposition, and he found himself wishing Dean would make an ass out of himself just so Ginny would be able to go through with her breakup plans.

"I guess his biggest fault is trying to force me to be helpless. For instance," her tone quickly turned bitter, "not allowing me to pull out my own chair in the library, telling me that I fly too fast, criticizing what I choose to eat for dinner, or guiding me through the portrait hole. It drives me batty! And Hermione even defends him, says he's trying to be a gentleman, but if he were a real gentleman accept the fact that it infuriates me."

With a pang of annoyance at Hermione, Harry supplied, "I think you fly brilliantly." And in an uncommon stroke of wisdom, added, "But it seems as though he's trying to control you, even if it is unconscious on his part."

Ginny blinked once and gazed at him solemnly, "That's exactly what I think too."

"Well, if that is his true intention then maybe you weren't so wrong to cook up inventive ways to drop him on his arse." At his words Ginny smirked then continued to sip on her coco. "So, you're not even going to give me one little idea?" He asked playfully.

She turned toward the frosty windowpane and vaguely replied, "You might get to see one soon enough." Gathering her long hair to one side she took a deep breath and added, "Isn't the knowledge of a breakup sufficient?"

Harry will never be known as the king of subtly or have the great ability to read between the lines but if he wasn't mistaken, an opportunity to do both had just dropped in his lap. Much to his chagrin all he could muster was a breathy, "Yes," in reply. He watched in fascination as her profile broke into a small satisfied smile and she glanced at him from the corner of her eye. His mouth went dry at her obvious pleasure at his interest in her pending breakup.

"Good," she responded simply and fixed him with a look that was so mysterious, so undeniably sexy, it took his breath away. Harry's heart started to pound as she stood from the table and confidently traversed the short path to stand directly in front of him. For a brief instant he thought he'd slipped into one of his dreams.

A moment passed before his mind caught up with her actions and he wondered if he should stand and reach out to her or do nothing at all. He settled with the latter and remained rooted to the seat, it seemed Ginny had everything under control. Bending low, she placed both hands on each side of his stubble-covered jaw and brushed her soft lips lightly against his left cheek.

Her touch was electrifying.

"Happy Christmas, Harry." She whispered seductively in his ear, her silky hair tickling his forearms. She smelled of chocolate and that ever-present, and oh so intoxicating, floral scent. It was clear she was toying with him but he'd be damned if he wasn't thrilled to the core.

It was over in mere seconds but that's all it took to set his heart slamming in his chest. He was sure she would fall over from the force of it.

As he watched her retreating back he concluded one thing was for sure, this holiday was, without doubt, his favorite. In his post-kiss dizzying bliss, he fervently wanted Ginny's plan to include breaking up over tomorrow's owl post.

He could only hope.

A/N: Please review! I would love to receive your feedback. Thanks--


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